The Functional Path is a path that had been traveled many times before but had fallen out of use in favor of smoother paved roads that promised faster and easier results. Seeking to follow and better define the functional path is a continuing journey, fortunately it is a journey that many have traveled before. Functional Path training is getting back to the basics of movement. It is learning to tune into the body and it’s inherent wisdom to produce rhythmic flowing movement.

The mission of this program is to develop a cadre of experts to define the field of Athletic Development by educating professionals in foundational principles and methodology. Apprentorship = Apprenticeship + Mentorship, combines the features of both into a unique interactive blend of theory and practice in a five-day residential coaching school. This is an opportunity to observe, question, and explore the application of the Gambetta Method - Systematic Sport Development Model of training and injury rehabilitation.

February 21, 2018

Growing the athlete is an organic not a mechanistic process. For years I used the metaphor of building the athlete but over the past few years I have become uncomfortable with that characterization. Certainly, building is part of the process, but I find that building evokes a reductionist mechanistic image of constructing, of replacing parts as opposed to the cultivation of synergistic relationships between training means and methods and the systems of the body. The whole is much more than the sum of the parts as the athlete is nurtured and develops throughout their career. It takes time and timing of the appropriate stimuli for the level of the athlete’s stage of development.

My father was a gardener and I remember the first time he took me to work with him, I was probably ten or eleven years old. As any youngster I was impatient and full of questions. I wanted to know why this patch of garden had no plants. Why we had to water this area and fertilize another section. Why we had to trim these plants and let others grow. I wanted to know why he didn’t plant all the seeds at the same time. He explained it to me, but I must admit that I did not fully understand it until years later after I had started coaching. The carrots had to planted at a certain time. The winter and summer squash were different. Some vegetables thrived in the cold of winter and others need the heat of summer. The same is true with the nurturing of the athlete. You must carefully cultivate the soil by developing physical competencies. Then you plant appropriate levels of training of the various physical capacities. You allow those capacities to grow and develop and then you carefully harvest them in competition. Nowhere is anything forced, it is a long-term time-consuming process that requires constant attention from the gardener/coach. Lest we forget the nurturing never stops.

February 20, 2018

In course of day to day coaching it is easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. Good or bad training sessions can easily get blown out of proportion. The same is true with exercises, sets, reps and rest intervals – coach the athlete that is in front of you that day. Keep the big picture in mind. Never lose sight of the ultimate goal – preparing the athlete to thrive in competition.

February 16, 2018

Refinement is fine tuning the practice after the basic technical model has been mastered. When that is robust then and only then should you think about looking at attending to the finer points. Often, we are in a hurry and try to do this too early in the process and the whole technical model erodes. Refinement does not have to pertain to just technique or skill it also can refer to development of physical qualities. Initially the athlete will begin with global attention to all qualities, as training age accrues then it is possible and in fact necessary to begin to refine the methods to be more specific to the sport and athlete. Simply refinement follows repetition in the development of the athlete and refinement is based on mastery of the repetitions.

February 13, 2018

Go to http://thegainnetwork.com/ and scroll down and download the PDF’s of these GAIN White papers. More will be coming over the next several months. I hope you enjoy and find them useful. Any feedback would be appreciated. Also if you are interested you can watch the opening talk of GAIN 2018.

Athletic Development - Defining the Discipline

This is my attempt to move beyond strength and conditioning and define a discipline that addresses current reality.

Developing Athletes - Why We Are Where We Are A Personal & Historical Perspective

Here I take a historical look over the past sixty years to see why we are where we are in sport and physical education today. This just scratches the surface but hopefully will stimulate thought and put it all in a historical context.

February 12, 2018

Repetition is the mother of learning. We are what we repeatedly do. I doubt anyone would argue with those points. The task then becomes to carefully chose what we repeat. It is necessary to have a clear idea of the technical model you wish to achieve and a plan to achieve the desired technique. It is very important to fit the technique to the person not the person to the technique. More is not better. Bernstein’s concept of “repetition without repetition” is crucial – essentially variation and distributed practice is the key to deep sticky learning not hours of mindless repetition of the same task. Quality is the goal and quality is a measure of perfect. Therefore, the ultimate goal of repetition in training is mastery. To achieve mastery demands progression, from easy to hard and simple to complex.

February 09, 2018

To understand what good training is, you must separate fact from fiction and style and marketing claims from programs that have substance and produce consistent results. Along the same line of thought beware of false prophets bearing gifts. Nothing easily attained is ever worthwhile and nothing worthwhile is easily attained. There are no secret programs or shortcuts to athletic excellence. Great training programs focus on fundamentals and build on the basics. Good training is built upon empirical evidence and best practices that has stood the test of time. Adaptation takes time; the process is predictable based on the demands imposed on the body. Nothing exotic here, it is all very basic, if someone tells you otherwise, don't listen. Take your time and stay on the functional path to the destination - optimum performance in the competitive arena.

February 08, 2018

The cornerstone of effective practice is routine. A set routine is the basis for consistent practice. Great athletes and great teams have set routines for training that do not vary. In fact, with individual athletes training routines sometimes border on ritual. Routine allows the athlete to focus on the task at hand. There is security in having a routine. It gives an anchor point to build the training session upon. Start on time, have specific objectives and stay on task, then practice will be meaningful. As coaches we need to set routines for our athletes, we need to teach young developing athletes the necessity of routine as part of their daily preparation. When I change training cycles my first objective is always routine. As training cycles change routines sometimes have to change, so having it as an up-front object underscores its importance.

February 06, 2018

Our faculty is a very special group with a tremendous breadth of experiences and a track record of excellence in their chosen fields. They know how a performance team works, how all aspects of athletic development complement each other and most importantly they understand the process of developing athletes. The faculty and their willingness to share and interact make GAIN special. They know how to connect the dots and still stay grounded in the basics. They completely live the GAIN Mission which is: To focus on the possibilities for enhancing human movement with no limits or limitations and emphasize connections and links between all disciplines in the same manner we emphasize connections and linkages in the body.

GAIN XI is June 12 to 16, 2018 at Rice University in Houston Texas. Apply as soon as possible. For more information & to apply go to http://thegainnetwork.com/

Who are the faculty?

Vern Gambetta, Founder of GAIN Network, Currently Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. Vern brings 49 years of experience having worked with sport at all levels of competition.

Peter Weyand, PhD Professor of Applied Physiology and Biomechanics at SMU One of the world’s foremost experts on human performance, Peter is a frequent source for journalists worldwide on the topic of performance limits such as how fast humans can run.

John Pryor, Former conditioning coach Japan Rugby, now the conditioning coach for Fiji Rugby and The Brumbies in Super Rugby. John has developed a system for blending speed and strength development based on his experience and incorporating the concepts of Frans Bosch that apply to all sports. He is not afraid to challenge conventional thinking.

Jim Radcliffe, Head S&C Coach University of Oregon, a pioneer and a true master of the profession. In his thirty plus years at University of Oregon he has worked with championships team in a variety of sports. Jim began as a high school coach and teacher who never strays far from the basics.

Martin Bingisser, HMMR Media, Swiss National Hammer Throw Coach, many time Swiss national hammer throw champion. Martin is the founder of HMMR Media, an online coach’s education platform, and co-host of the GAINcast and HMMR Podcast. He is also active as a coach, servicing as the Swiss national coach in the hammer throw, throwing coach for LC Zurich, and fitness coach for GC Rugby Zurich. Martin is a graduate of University of Washington and is a practicing lawyer in Zurich Switzerland.

Grace Golden PhD, is currently is a Senior Lecturer & Program Director for the Graduate Athletic Training Program at the University of Oregon. Her education includes BS in Physical Education/Teacher Preparation (University of Oregon, 1989), MS in Physical Education/Athletic Training (University of Oregon, 1991) and a PhD in Exercise and Sport Science (Oregon State University, 2007). She has been Head Women’s Athletic Trainer (University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 1997-2000), Assistant Athletic Trainer (Stanford University, 2000-2001), Associate Head Athletic Trainer (UCLA, 2007-2009) and Clinically focused on lower extremity screening and long-term rehabilitation of ACL injuries, her philosophy and approach are strongly influenced by emphasizing the existing intersections of fundamental movement skill development, motor learning theory, and apt performance programming in active individuals who have experienced lower extremity injury in order to emphasize physical literacy & athletic performance and the potential to prevent injuries.

Nick Garcia, Athletic Development Coach & Assistant Track Coach, Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, California. An accomplished athlete himself Nick has developed an outstanding athletic development at Notre Dame high school where he works with all sixteen sports. He earned his bachelor's degree and his master's in Physical Education from Cal State Northridge.

Steve Magness is a performance coach, author, and lecturer. He currently serves as a coach to 20 professional runners, is the Head Cross Country coach at the University of Houston and a Lecturer of Strength and Conditioning at St. Mary’s University, UK. As a writer, He just published two books, Peak Performance with co-author Brad Stulberg and The Science of Running.

Dan Noble Athletic Development Coach at The Hill Academy. He is the owner of Noble Sports & Performance and directs our offseason programming through Hill Performance Training. Recently, Coach Noble served as the Director of Athletic Performance for the Chinese Women’s National Ice Hockey Program. Dan specializes in fostering the development of elite athletes through a process that focuses on mastering efficient movement patterns, mechanics and creating sustainable, adaptable athletes

Bill Knowles, Director of Reconditioning and Athletic Development for HPSports is world-renowned in the field of Sports Reconditioning and Athletic Development. As a specialist with years of experience at the Professional, Olympic, and Elite Junior levels of sport; he specializes in developing injury prevention, performance training and reconditioning strategies for athletes and teams. Bill has lectured and trained staff around the world on his concepts of managing joint compromised athletes in their quest for a return to competition following injury. He has equally presented an adolescent model of injury prevention and performance for soccer players. Bill works consistently with the Philadelphia Union Academy in Major League Soccer/USA. Bill has worked with governing bodies of sport such as the RFU (England Rugby), The FA, Australian Institute of Sport, Chinese Olympic Committee, US Soccer, US Skiing, The England Institute of Sport, and the NCAA. He has trained athletes and staff from over sixty professional teams throughout North America, Europe, and Australia.

Ryan Podell is sports science/conditioning coach for the Indianapolis Colts. Before that he was sports scientist with the Portland Trail Blazers where he was responsible for collecting and managing all training information and data to create more efficient ways to develop players. He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science and his master's in sports performance from Ball State University.

Ed Ryan, ATC serves The Andrews Institute as the Director of Athletic Medicine providing service on behalf of Nemours Children’s Hospital to the US Tennis Association’s National Campus in Orlando Florida. Ryan served as the 2007-16 USA Basketball Women's National Team athletic trainer and medical services coordinator for all USA Basketball teams. A 21-year member of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Sports Medicine staff, Ed served as the Medical Director and head athletic trainer for numerous events, including the Winter Olympics, Summer Olympics, Winter Paralympics, and the Pan American Games.

Homayun Gharavi MD studied medicine and sports science at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. He is the founder of the German Academy of Applied Sports Medicine (DAASM) based in Regensburg. He developed an innovative elastic sling training system, the 4D PRO Reaction Trainer.

James Marshall is the Head Coach of Excelsior Athletic Development Club based in Willand, Devon UK. Having been employed as a strength and conditioning coach within professional rugby and with several National Governing Bodies he decided to set up his own club. He now coaches gymnastics, athletics and weight lifting to young people in the local area. His special interests are in understanding movement and coach education. A GAIN regular attendee since 2010.

Randy Ballard, ATC, Director of Integrated Performance He oversees the collaborative efforts of I-Perform, which includes representation from the Sports Medicine, Strength & Conditioning and Sports Nutrition units to promote an integrated athletic department that provides student-athletes and teams with programming and resources for optimal performance, athletic development and global wellness. Ballard was integral in the creation of the I-Perform program, which launched in the spring of 2014 with the goal of putting forth a unified approach to student-athlete health, well-being and performance. Randy is a graduate of Kansas State and has a master's degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas.

Joe Przytula, ATC (AKA Mr. GAIN) is currently the Supervisor of Physical Education and Health at Elizabeth Public Schools USA- the second largest school district in the state of New Jersey. Prior to 2012, he was the head Athletic Trainer and a physical education teacher. He graduated from Montclair State College with a BS in physical education with a concentration in athletic training. He was NJSIAA athletic trainer of the year in 1998, recipient of the Governor’s teacher award in 2008, and NJAHPERD Active Schools Champion in 2018. Joe’s model of athletic development and rehabilitation is strongly influenced by manual therapy, the Gambetta Method, and physical therapists David Tiberio and Gary Gray. He has extensive involvement in improving community access to nutritious food, and engineering walkability/bikeability back into neighborhoods.

Landon Evans director of sports science in the Department of Athletics at the University of Iowa; a strength & conditioning coach for the track & field program; and an active research member with the Virtual Soldier Research program within the College of Engineering. He has also served as the sports nutrition coordinator for the Department of Athletics.

Greg Thompson has been teaching and coaching for over 30 years. He has degrees from Alma College and Wayne State University. He currently teaches elementary Physical Education at Longacre Elementary in the Farmington Public School District in the suburban Detroit. Since coming to Farmington, he has served as K-12 Physical Education Coordinator and Department Chair. In addition to his teaching duties, he serves as Acting Principal. His programs have earned two EDEX awards, one for assessment and one for “Rise and Shine”, his before-school exercise program. In 2014 he received the Governor’s Champion for Health award from the Governor’s Fitness Council. Since 2010, he has been a member of the GAIN faculty. As a coach, Greg has successfully completed the USSF “A” License as well as the NSCAA Advanced National Diploma. He has performed as Director of Coaching for the Livonia Soccer Club and the Dexter Soccer Club. He is currently with Michigan Rush-Northville as Athletic Development Director. At the collegiate level, he has worked with Schoolcraft College Men’s Soccer, Madonna University Men’s Soccer, and currently with University of Michigan Men’s Club Soccer. Coach Thompson was recognized with Madonna University’s coaching staff as NAIA Regional Coaching Staff of the year.

Steve Myrland, District Performance Coach for Athletics, District Wellness Director Middleton Wisconsin School District. Steve is an innovative thinker who can connect the dots like no other. He has worked as an athletic development coach in the NHL and at the University level including National Championship teams in Soccer and Ice Hockey at University of Wisconsin.